What is Hummus and What to Prepare it With

Hummus is a Middle Eastern preparation that is widely consumed today. It is used as a dip for pita bread triangles or vegetables, and also as a base for some stews.Nutritionally, it is very good because it has a high content of healthy fats and minerals. It is low in carbohydrates and high in protein and plant-based fiber. Moreover, it is delicious and makes you feel satisfied.Basically, hummus is made from chickpeas. In fact, the word hummus means chickpea. It also contains tahini or ground sesame paste, and other ingredients like garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice.Try these Healthy Snacks with HummusThere are very different versions of this food all over the Mediterranean, North Africa, and the Middle East. Some have eggplant, tomato, beans, or boiled eggs or spice blends. After all, it is a quite neutral base open to many flavors.To prepare it at home, you need to start with the chickpeas. You can get canned and pre-cooked ones, which is very convenient. If you want to cook them, you need to soak them overnight, discard the soaking water, and cook them in enough salted water. You can add onion, carrot, and aromatic herbs to achieve better flavor. Let them simmer or cook in a pressure cooker until they are very soft.Once cooked, you need to blend them in a food processor or blender with tahini, which is a ground sesame paste available in almost all supermarkets and also in Arab food stores.Tahini has a strong flavor, so a couple of tablespoons are enough to add a lot of personality. Its flavor balances very well with lemon juice, salt, and olive oil, but if you do not want to add tahini, a bit of Greek yogurt or dry curd will provide acidity and creaminess.Adjust the consistency of your homemade hummus with the water left from cooking. Some people prefer to blend it until completely smooth, but you can also leave it with a bit of texture.Finally, for flavor, it is traditional to add a little raw garlic, although it can also be roasted. If you use raw garlic, blend it with the lemon juice to tone down its flavor a bit. It is delicious with a pinch of cumin and it is trendy to add other ingredients that give interesting colors, such as roasted beetroot, avocado, roasted peppers, roasted zucchini, or charred eggplant.To serve it, it is traditional to place it on a plate and make a channel with the back of a spoon, add more olive oil, and sprinkle a bit of paprika, za'atar, or chili powder.We recommend these 6 new ways to eat hummusOn the other hand, hummus not only works as a dip. It is a great option for lunch boxes with vegetables. It is also delicious as a substitute for mayonnaise in your sandwich. Additionally, you can use it to fill portobellos or combined with rice, to stuff baked peppers. It is fantastic on top of roasted chicken, on your avocado toast, or with peppers and onions on your burger or in pita with grilled meat.Visit ancient history on a plate that is very trendy and add interesting touches to your taste. After all, that’s how great dishes are created.